Apartment above Cafe Fina
Alfred opened the door and led his guests into his flat. After making sure that they were comfortable, he retreated into his room and came out with a small chest, from which he removed a bar of cold iron. "Now, ideally, of course, the idea is to evict these spirits from Walter and Pippi. But, if in the process, we must confront them, we should know how to hurt them. Now, the fair folk of Oberon's people are known, by all the legends, to have a weakness to cold iron, of which I have a sample here. Now, as for Walter, things become more difficult, as there as many vampire legends as there are types of vampries. Can anyone make any suggestions as to ways vampires can be hurt, or how we can find out what weaknesses vampire Walter may have?"
Tim wracked his brain. This wasn't his area of expertise. yet "Well, let's see, sunlight, holy water, crosses, stakes through the heart...garlic. That's all I've got."
"I wouldn't be able to supply anything about ridding of a vampire," Alphonse started. "As for the cold iron, though," he pointedly glanced at it. "how does that work? It just needs to be within range of the fairy?"
"According to some stories it actually hurts them. And in others, if you bind them with cold iron chains they lose their powers."
"Chains, huh? Well, this is a bar... But if you need chains, I can definitely make those into cold iron chains instead of a bar."
"Is there a way to subdue this vampire thing without killing Walter? I'm pretty sure an arrow through the heart frm my bow would destroy this vampire thing you are talking about...but it would also hurt Walter."
"Far as I know the crosses, holy water and garlic dont' actually kill." tim said. Just, ward them off, and maybe hurth them. But if we're talking about possesion, and btw omfg I didn't know Vampires could do that, maybe we should be talking about exorcisms."
"Walter said silver might work," Pip threw in. "I don't know if that's on the typical list of vampire killers?"
Alfred nodded. "I'm afraid vampires are not exactly my area of expertise. Still, let me see..." he walked over to the bookcase and pulled off a book entitled "Tobin's Spirit Guide". He flipped through to the appropriate page. "Yes. It appears that some vampires are thought to be hurt by silver. We shall have to try that."
"Let me help you with that," Walter offered. "We don't need invitations to enter your home, for one." It had been all well and good to listen through the door, but they were starting to get unfortunately close to home. Best to just finish things off now.
You're a right bastard, you know that?
It's in the job description, boy. Right bloody bastard.
Adella looked around from behind Walter, slipping her arms around his chest.
"They want to chain me up and take my power away treasure." she said, "Don't they know only you are permitted to do that?"
Pip looked up and dove behind a couch, pulling a gun from somewhere. He had thought it prudent to bring the blessed silver bullets this time.
Alphonse backpedaled quickly as soon as he noticed who came in, making it near Pip. The thought 'Oh please don't tell me that's them' repeated itself in his head over and over, despite that he was fully aware of who they were. As for now, Alphonse had to get ready to defend himself and everyone else in the room.
Gwynn was known for thinking quickly and moved to the wall where she had seen the bow and quiver hanging. Hoping Sir Alfred didn't mind, Gwynn ducked down behind the nearest chair and nocked an arrow in the bow. She popped back up and fired an arrow at the person who was the faerie possessing Pippi --- she thought --- because Tim didn't have a weapon that she could see, so she had to do something.
Walter snatched the arrow out of the air and casually tossed it aside. Did this girl think he was going to let her attack his Adella?
The girl wasn't so far away that he couldn't slip across the small flat to attempt to snatch the bow away from her. He could have just tried to destroy it, but being a monster didn't preclude an appreciation of quality weaponry.
Gwynn wasn't stupid enough to stay in the same place when she saw him knock her arrow out of the air. She notched another arrow and then fired it at him before moving around the room to a different place and notched another arrow.
Adella watched the girl, who apparently thought she was Robin Hood, be adorable with her little sticks.
She turned her attention back to Tim and regarded him with a tilted head.
"You still don't have it with you hmmm?"
One assumes he'd know what she was talking about.
Alphonse wasn't sure whether or not Tim had any way of protecting himself, but he wasn't going to risk finding out he didn't. Gwynn had her arrows prepared-- Alphonse hoped she'd be able to fend for herself in the meantime. He quickly ran to where Pippi had her eyes on Tim, standing in a defensive stance. "Leave him alone," Alphonse demanded.
"I'm so tired of being told that." she said taking a step in Al's direction. "Shall we spar?"
She reached out to grab a handful of shirt.
Alphonse took a step back; it didn't help any since she grabbed at the collar of his shirt. Once the question was asked, he glared at her hard, even if it was fairly obvious he was fretting. He didn't say anything for a long moment, until he finally came to a decision. "I-If it'll keep you from hurting anyone else," he replied sternly.
Adella yanked on his collar to bring him closer.
"Oh how sweet." she said disingenuously, "I think you'll make me cry."
"I intend to," Alphonse growled. "Until you get out of my friend's body."
"You're welcome to try."
And she tossed him away like an apple core.
He stumbled back until he hit the wall, but quickly composed himself again in his usual defensive posture. Alphonse assumed since this was Pippi's body, any blow her threw probably wouldn't hurt her by much... But it certainly didn't hurt to try, especially now. He accepted her invitation and swung a punch to Adella's face-- this wasn't a friendly sparring match and Alphonse wasn't going to treat it as such.
Damn he really wished he had that damn wand right now. The school weapons locker seemed realy far away. Not that he was sure how to use it still.
"So who are you really?" he asked pointedly.
Adella smiled and didn't bother to move as Al threw his punch. As much to Adella's surprise as anybody's, it sent her sprawling.
She looked up at the two boys with palpable malice as she drew the back of her hand along her bottom lip to clean of a bit of blood.
"The name I'll give you," she said, "Is Adella, formally of Her Majesty 's court."
"Then as we're being formal," tim said. "I'm Tim Desmond. Dread and Puissant Champion of the Fae." He REALLY wished he had that wand.
Alphonse didn't say anything and continued to stand from where his fist connected with Adella's face.
That... shouldn't have happened. Pippi had unusual strength, didn't she? Then again, that was probably a very good thing for right now. Alphonse came closer to Adella, standing above her. Maybe he did have a fighting chance now.
"Oh yes. You're very dreadful." She said standing suddenly and attempting to push Al into Tim.
Totally unprepared for that, Alphonse absentmindedly made a grab for Adella's arm to keep himself from falling.
Adella tried to move out of the way, but Al did manage to grab hold of her arm.
Which she twisted around to make him let go.
It didn't take very long at all for Alphonse to feel a sudden, very sharp pain run up his arm. His forearm in particular hurt like hell, and he quickly yanked his arm away, holding it tightly against his chest. Alphonse opened and closed his wrist to test if he'd be okay, but even doing that proved to be painful.
Darn it all; this wasn't going to go away anytime soon. He tried not to show just how much she'd manage to hurt him. He still needed to stand up to her.
He was mostly just wishin' he had his wand. "So, formally of her majestie's court? Lemme guess, you're one of the exiled Fae aren't you."
"Exiled?" she said making a grab for the upper part of Al's uninjured arm so she could try again, flinging him into Tim.
"That's a cute way to put it."
Distracted by his new injury, Alphonse didn't notice her approaching him again until the last moment and fell over backwards near Tim. The impact of hitting the ground didn't help relieve the pain in his arm by any; by now it was hurting even more than before. "Get out of Pippi," he muttered angrily.
Man the other Fae weren't this bitter, they'd just been happy to be free. "Is that what this is all about?" he asked, interposing himself between Adella and Alphonse. "Revenge?"
Other Fae where Tim came from probably weren't sent to Hell.
"This?" She asked, waving her hand to indicate Alfred's flat and the activity therein. "Well My Treasure wanted to come speak to his... 'mentor'. So I brought him here because I knew he'd like that. You all are just gravy."
well THEY sure thought they had been
As long as she was monologuing, she wasn't going after Alphonse. Or for that matter, him. "Must be nice to be out. I've had a taste of that place, it's not fun." he glanced at Walter. "How'd you two meet anyway?"
Tim's apparent claim to have visited Hell caused Adella to raise an eyebrow.
"I'm pleasantly surprised yes." she said as she sashayed her way across the room to them. The other question went unanswered.
Tim's eyes involuntarily focused briefly on the sight of a leather clad tall red head sashaying towards him. Bad hormones! Down! Stupid 17 year old libido. Because hey, her approaching? Not neccesarily a good thing.
accio wand!
Gwynn popped up again from wherever she had been crouching to see Not!Pippi moving towards Tim.
She wouldn't let her hurt someone who was becoming a friend.
She liked Pippi, Pippi had been nice to her and showed her the first horse she had seen in this place... but she liked Tim... and he had come to her aid with the scary Peter.
Making her decision, she let her arrow fly and Pippi's side and then slung the bow across her back and chest to grab a knife.
It might come down to hand to hand.
The arrow wizzed by her head and Adella turned to see where it came from.
While she was distracted, Alfred took his chance. "Alphonse!" he shouted, tossing the iron bar to the alchemist.
Walter scowled at the girl who was now shooting at Adella. "Didn't you hear what she said?" he growled and lashed out to hit Gwynn in the chest with a fist. Thanks to the boy's intervention, even if it connected, it wouldn't be a killing blow.
The fist did indeed connect and sent Gwynn slamming back into the wall. She had been so focused on Pippi that she didn't pay attention to Walter.
Trying not to focus on the pain she was now feeling, Gwynn muttered something and threw her knife towards his chest.
Alphonse looked up in surprise, quickly trying to stand himself up before the iron bar made it to him. He caught the bar with his uninjured hand and suddenly remembered what Tim had suggested earlier; iron chains.
Right. He'd have to do this quickly.
Alphonse set the bar on the floor and clapped his hands, activating the arrays on his gloves. After nearly slamming his hands on the floor near the bar (which he quickly regretted, because ow, wrist still hurt), within seconds the iron bar took a completely new shape after the transmutation was finished. He picked up a chain, then, and Alphonse turned to Pippi prepared to use it.
Walter sneered at the human's petty attempt to harm him. He snatched the knife out of the air and threw it back at her. The boy shouted in his head about their deal and tried to wrest control of his hand away from him.
Adella took a step back at Al impressive display of mastery over the shape of things.
"What sort of magic is that?!"
Gwynn cried out in surprise as the knife sliced into her right shoulder. Pain flooded her senses and she slid down the wall as she moved her left hand to pull the knife out. She placed a hand over the wound and glared at Walter as she tried to decide what to do next.
Tim smirked at Adella, and then quickly was not smirking as a knife flew towards Gwynn. Crap. Damn Vampire.
"A ponytail? Please can you say cliche?" he growled.
"I certainly can," Pip muttered as he rammed the mag with the silver blessed bullets into the gun. He had taken far too long to put on the silencer. He'd have to start putting it on when he went out.
He sprang up from behind the couch, took aim at Walter's shoulder, and fired.
New York reflexes took over and Tim hit the floor.
Alphonse made his best glare at Adella. "It's not magic!" He clutched the chain in his hand and made a jump towards her, swinging the chain at her and hoping it would swing around her as planned.
Adella tried to step back out of the way but Pippi took that moment to make her presence known.
You shouldn't have said that. You've made him mad.
The result is that the chain wrapped around her as Al intended. Where the chain touched skin there was a sizzling sound and a little smoke.
Adella flopped to the floor and a choked cry escaped her.
Walter's attention was divided between the girl, Adella, and bullet!
He spun with the impact of the bullet and snarled from the unexpected burn of silver. Only Adella's current condition kept him from lunging at Pip and tearing his throat out.
Instead, he picked Adella up, chains and all and ran from the building to remove her bonds outside and away from those damned humans.
"Looks like the cold Iron worked." Tim said, heading to Gwynn's side. "you all right?" *Not embarresed at all about hitting the deck when the gun went off. really.*
"I'm just glad she didn't get her hands on you." Gwynn smiled a little at Tim. "I think I'll be alright if we get it bandaged up. But I definitely plan to get some revenge on them for this."
Gwynn would have hit the floor at the strange sound had she not already been on the floor.
Alphonse slumped to the floor and again grabbed at his arm. Using alchemy while his arm was at this state wasn't the brighest of ideas he'd ever made, but at least it kept those two from attacking further.
They escaped though. Not good. This meant there was going to be a second time.
Right now, though, Alphonse wasn't in much of a state to want to say anything.
Alfred produced a first aid kit from somewhere and came over to inspect Al and Gwynn. As he bandaged up Gwynn, he began to speak. "That wrist looks sprained," he said. "We'd best take you to the clinic. Hopefully Miss Santos will have woken up and can provide us with some information." He looked around the room. "And I suspect we're going to have to prepare for a fight."
Sprained? Huh, not surprising. It sure felt like it, that's for sure. "Okay," he sighed, pushing himself up to his feet again. He'd have to agree with the suggestion of visiting Nadia, however; if she had an encounter with Walter and Pippi beforehand... now Alphonse was starting to worry how her condition was.